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A86435 A treatise concerning prayer; containing particularly an apology for the use of the Lords prayer. / By Thomas Hodges, B.D. Rector of the Church of Souldern. Hodges, Thomas, d. 1688. 1656 (1656) Wing H2323; Thomason E1712_1; ESTC R209609 38,565 187

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we must no more use bread and wine and water those necessary things either in or out of the Sacrament The instance of the brazen Serpent comes not up fully to the matter in hand For first now there was no possible use of it for that end to which at first God ordained it to be made Num. 21.8 9. And God did never appoint that this should be continued as a monument of that mercy Again the memoriall of the miraculous cure once wrought upon those that looked upon this brazen Serpent was sufficiently preserved in being registred by Moses Gods pen-man or Secretary in the records of the holy Scriptures And Lastly Hezekiah did remove and abolish this brazen Serpent without sin But as for the Lords prayer the case is otherwise in all these or the like particulars It is now of use both as a pattern and as a prayer It is made a portion of the holy Scriptures and so heaven and earth must passe away rather then a jot or tittle of this Prayer If this prayer should be wholy laid aside there is besides no such perfect compleat forme of prayer and rule or touchstone of prayer as this extant in all the Scriptures And lastly the Lord would not hold him guiltlesse who should blot this prayer out of the book of the Scripture But he may justly feare to have his name blotted out of the book of life Our Lord Jesus himself was a Stone of stumbling a rock of offence to many but to them that believe he was and is a choyse stone a precious foundation corner Stone c. And so I say of the Lords Prayer it may perhaps be a stone of stumbling an occasion of fall to some but to them that beleive and use it in faith it is precious and whoever so prays this prayer need never be ashamed of it Obj. Many finde by experience that their hearts are dull dead or very formall as in the use of other formes so of this also Answ Concerning formes in generall I say as before that formes of Prayer are better than no prayer at all and concerning this prayer if our hearts be dead in the using of it I dare say the fault is in us not in the Prayer It may be our hearts are dead at the reading of a Chapter what is the Scripture therefore a dead letter and must it therefore cease in the Church Oh let us never accuse Christs Prayer or Preaching of deadnesse to excuse the sinfull deadnesse of our owne hearts Our Lord Jesus himselfe prayed in the garden thrice saying the same words Mat. 26. and with as much Affection and Devotion and Life the last time as the first Let us goe and doe likewise How is it that our Devotion flags not that our hearts wander not in the joyning with one that prayes a conceived prayer for a quarter halfe an houre or more and yet cannot hold up or keep close to the duty for a moment or two whilst our Lords owne Prayer is rehearsing I should rather thinke that if our hearts have not been duly affected or that there hath been any errour whilst the Minister hath been praying according to his ability that the using of the Lords Prayer and joyning in that perfect forme with double with seven-fold diligence zeale and holy affections in the close of all is very commendable as both pious and prudent for in the generall Petitions of this Prayer are contained all the lawfull particulars both for the Church and every member of it which were mentioned in the foregoing prayer But here I must enter my Caveat I would not be interpreted by what I have said for I doe in no wise meane it God forbid to poure cold water upon any fervent or zealous desires whilst we joyne with others praying according to the gift pretending thereby to reserve all the heat and zeal of our soule for the offering up of the Lords Prayer nor doe I meane farre be it from me to justifie any irreverent gesture by-thoughts or loose and cold affections during the time the Minister or other is exercising his gift in conceived prayer Obj. But the Apostles in their writings when they exhort to prayer and give rules and directions about it never recommend unto us the use of this prayer Ans All that the Apostles did or said is not written Sure I am they have given no rule or direction against the using of this prayer and if it be true which some say that the Evangelist Luke had the Gospell he wrote from the Apostle Paul it is some evidence that the Apostle himselfe was not against the using of this prayer else probably he would not have told him such words as these When ye pray say c. without adding some caution or interpretation to prevent mistake The Apostle Paul speaks sometimes concerning Baptisme but never treats of that forme of words I baptize thee in the name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost What may we not therefore baptize in that forme of words Surely we may and Mat. 28.19 shall be our sufficient warrant Againe the holy Apostles Col. 3.16 Ephes 5.18 19. James 5.13 give order for and direction about singing of Psalmes but neither there nor elsewhere tell us we are to sing Davids Psalmes or what other Psalmes we should sing doth it thence follow we may not sing the Psalmes of David or other spirituall Songs recorded in the holy Scriptures But put the case that some Christians in those dayes had said to the Apostle Paul teach us to sing Psalmes or teach us Psalms to sing as David the sweet singer of Israel of old taught the people of God and his answer to them had been in such words as these when ye sing sing one of the Psalmes of David one of those songs of Sion or else he himself had composed a Psalme and added this Preface to it or direction concerning it when ye sing sing after this manner or when ye sing sing c. Had not this been sufficient to ground thereupon the lawfulnesse of singing Davids Psalmes or that particular Psalmes so composed and subjoyned by the Apostle I believe it had And now if any ask How often we should pray the Lords prayer To this my Answer is That the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath left this undetermined as also how oft we are to read the sixt Chapter of the Gospel written by the Evangelist Mathew and this eleventh Chapter of the Gospel according to the Evangelist Luke or any other particular Chapter in the Scriptures as also it is undetermined how oft we are to sing the 92. Psal entitled a Psalme for the Saboth day or any other Psalme I find these things left to Christian prudence and so I shall still leave them not being willing to binde mens consciences wherein God hath left us free as for this I know of no Commandement from the Lord. But herein I give my advice desiring and praying for that mercy
from the Lord that in this and all other things I may be found faithfull If as often as Gods people meet together to worship God publiquely and especially upon the Lords day this prayer also might be offered up to God being a Sacrifice and Incense which our high Priest hath consecrated to God and his Father and to our God and our Father I should think it might be a good supplement of the defects and some emendation of the errors in our prayers Especially in such dayes of division as ours are wherein good men are split into so many several parties and opinions in matters of Church and State that whilst some holy men in their hearts say Amen to some prayers put up in their name by the Ministers others as holy as they in their hearts say God forbid or that be far from us This is a publique Prayer and no private Christian but ought to say Amen unto it However we are divided in more particular Requests wee ought all to concenter and agree in these generall neessary things herein prayed for Forasmuch therefore as when we come together in the Church to pray there are too too often divisions amongst us though we are together in one place yet not with one heart and because the promise is especially to two or three that agree together to ask any thing and to pray with divided hearts this is in a sense not to pray this is not to seek the Lord in due order to reforme in some measure at least these abuses in prayer I should recommend to all the Churches of Christ and to every Christian in them this one prayer the Lords prayer to which Christians of all Nations Tongues and Languages may agree to say Amen For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you how that the Lord Jesus the same time when he was by one of his Disciples in effect asked this question how we should pray saying Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples he said When ye pray say c.. Obj. Are these things so why then do you not justifie prescribed and imposed Liturgies or forms of Prayer Answ I shall not so far lanch forth into that controversie now as either to commend or condemne them yet this I say that this was made by an infallible Spirit And againe concerning this our Saviour Christ hath said that which he never said concerning any other After this manner pray ye or when ye pray say Our Father c. I shall conclude all with some use of the Doctrine 1. And first As the Angel said to Joseph concerning the blessed Virgin Mary whilst he thought of putting her away privily Feare not Joseph thou son of David to take unto thee Mary thy espoused wife for that is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost So say I to all those just ones who have had thoughts of putting away this prayer privily feare not to take unto you this prayer which you have loved and as it were espoused for that which is conceived in it is of the holy Ghost But be not ye as the Papists are who think to make satisfaction to God and merit at his hand by the often repetition of their Pater Noster c. although without faith without understanding without holy affections And againe doe not ye slight other prayers made according to this modell or patterne by them who have the spirit or gift of prayer and above all things my brethren beware of blaspheming the spirit of prayer or praying by the Spirit accounting and calling it vaine babling 2. And you who have the gift of prayer so that ye have no need that any one teach you so that ye can goe without crutches and swimme without bladders I meane pray without using formes made by other men yet be not ye therefore lifted up or puffed up And againe be circumspect and never presume to utter any thing before the Lord in publique which will not hold weight if weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary So speak to God as considering that men also heare you And if ever you should have any thing amisse in your prayers either for matter or for manner of expression lay not this at the doore of the Spirit but rather father it thy selfe own it though with sorrow as a brat of thy owne naughty heart or extravagant fancy And farther having such a golden talent as the gift of prayer labour to improve for thy Masters and the Churches and thy owne advantage And if yee would be mighty in prayer be much in the study of the Scriptures in prayer and meditation The best way to the throne of Grace lyes by the Oracles of God And neglect not to eye and follow the cloud of Incense that is the prayers of Saints in Scripture which ascend to heaven when you would goe to God in prayer And you who have the gift of prayer pray for the Grace also and that more earnestly because one dramme of Grace is worth many talents of Gifts 3. You who have not the gift of Prayer so as to compose a Prayer but have need that some one teach you To the Lords prayer to the prayers of David Hezekiah Daniel the Apostle Paul c. in Scripture and to other formes of prayer framed by other men according to Scripture-patternes and after this manner pray ye c. As to formes of prayer composed by men of a fallible spirit use them as learners to swim use bladders so as they may be able at length to swimme without them use to goe to prayer with them as children use first to go by a bench or forme so that after a while you may as they go without them use them not as old men use staves or crutches never likely to lay them aside 4. As for those who pray not alone and with their families if they be Masters of families pretending they know not how to pray this Doctrine renders them in excusable they must needes become silent before God What can they say for themselves If they say they cannot go behold God allows them crutches to help their weaknesse Brethren if you have but a good will to come to draw nigh to God in prayer behold Jesus Christ stretches out his hand to direct you he hath left you this prayer as legs to go withall to his Father you may be welcome to God and Christ If you come but born upon the shoulders of prayers made by others if you cannot come alone of your selves goe therefore to others to teach you to pray as this Disciple did to Christ and let all Ministers Parents and Masters imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in the text and his forerunner teaching their people children servants to pray as John and Christ taught their Disciples 5. Last of all let us that use the Lords prayer ordinarily make it the patterne of our practise as well as of our prayers Let us doe as we say as we pray Let us endeavour that Gods name may be hallowed or glorified by us and others that the Kingdome of sin which is indeed the Devils Kingdome may be thrown down to the ground down to the nethermost Hell that our Lord Jesus by his good Word and holy Spirit may set up his throne in our hearts and in the world farre above the thrones of all the Kings of the earth the Prince of the aire and all the powers of darknesse Endeavour we our selves and perswade we and help we others to do the will of God on earth readily cheerfully constantly as the Saints and Angels doe it in heaven And we that every day pray for daily Bread let us take some honest calling and course to get it Operantibus dabitur your labour shall not be in vaine And content we our selves so with daily Bread with the portion for the day as to take or admit no carking or distracting thoughts for to morrow Let us who pray God to forgive us our offences against him as we forgive our brethren their offences against us let us be sure that we do not play the Hypocrites or dally with God lest our prayer be turned into sin lest our prayer to God prove like the petition of Adonijah for Abishag the Shunamite to be his wife lest it cost us our lives lest God answer and say you have spokn this against your owne lives against your owne soules you will not forgive your brethren Mites and therefore I will never forgive you Millions of talents Let not us who pray to God not to lead us into temptation goe presently and tempt the very Devill the Tempter to tempt us by throwing our selves upon occasions of sinning Whilest we pray deliver us from evill from all evill of sinne and punishment and particularly from that evill one the Devill see that we run not headlong into any sin as a horse rusheth into the battaile knowing that in so doing we cast our selves into the Lions den yea into the mouth of the roaring Lion Devill and as much as in us lieth into hell it selfe that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And let us that fill our mouthes with Arguments to plead and wrestle with God as Princes in prayer from his Kingdome Power and Glory i. e. his ability to help us Let us with our very hearts and lives as well as with our lips praise him with the song of Moses Rev. 15.3 4. and of the Lamb ascribing to him alwayes the Kingdome the Power and Glory for ever and ever Thus sealing up our Prayer with a reall AMEN FINIS Adde this after the Title Qu. How is the Lords Prayer to be used Ans The Lords Prayer is not onely for direction as a pattern according to which we are to make other Prayers Mat. 6.9 with Luke 11.2 but may also be used as a Prayer so that it be done with understanding faith reverence and other graces necessary to the right performance of the duty of Prayer ERRATA PAge 47. line 17. instead of those words Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils a habitation for Ziim and Iim and every unclean spirit read thus Do not open your doores to be a randevouz for Devils to be made like falne Babylon Revel 18.2 the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule Spirit and a cage of every uncleane and hatefull Bird.